10 LGBT-Friendly Hotels & Hotspots To Know

Travel for the LGBT community has been a growing topic over the years, especially with the rise of marriage equality through the US and world. Many destinations and hotel brands have openly supported the community, especially this past June with all the Pride events, and many of the destinations rightfully promote themselves a must visit LGBT city or region. For any Latinas planning summer or fall getaways, we've selected 10 must stay LGBT-friendly hotels in different cities in the U.S. and Latin America:

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As one of the several LGBT-friendly Mexican destinations, Puerto Vallarta offers the Pacific Ocean's Banderas Bay waters, lush tropical greens, grand resorts and an old downtown area that is very lively and filled with many clubs and bars. The luxury boutique resort Casa Velas just became TAG approved (an LGBT friendly hotel program/directory), and is an adults-only stay with a pool and beach club that is great for a romantic, secluded retreat in the resort part of the city. If you'd prefer to stay in downtown near many of the clubs and restaurants, opt for an apartment style like stay with Olas Altas Suites just steps away from the beach and the Playa Los Muertos pier (which puts on a colorful, rainbow light show every night).

Fort Lauderdale has long been a top LGBT-friendly destination in Florida, being named the U.S. city with highest number of same-sex couple households by data released from the last U.S. Census. As a hot spot on the beach, the W Fort Lauderdale is a swanky, luxurious choice for any Latina looking for a great beach destination escape here in the states. There's a fun summer workout program with boot camp and yoga classes on the beach in the early morning, a Bliss Spa in the hotel, and a rooftop pool to relaxing by if you want to avoid the sand one afternoon but still have a great view. W Hotels has been a long supporter of the community, being named a top gay-friendly hotel company by OutTraveler.

Quito is a very LGBT friendly destination, having several bars for gays and lesbians in the nightlife filled commercial district of La Mariscal. While travelers can stay there, nearby in the Floresta neighborhood is the massive Swissotel Quito which offers modern-elegant accommodations and a great fitness program that includes two pools, tennis and squash courts and fitness center. Grand views of Quito can also had, especially if have a chance to stay in one of the suites.

As a wonderful escape from the traditional casino resort in the LGBT friendly Vegas, the luxury-chic Vdara Hotel & Spa is located in the heart of the strip (next to and connected with the Bellagio - providing a potentially great view from your room's window of the water show and the rest of the strip). While it is smaller compared to the resorts, the Vdara offers Vegas' first ESPA spa for personalized, holistic massages and treatments, as well as ESPA's salon to get you ready for a night out. It is also across the street from Bally's Liaison, a new LGBT nightclub that just opened up.

Vdara is also an MGM resort, which throws the annual Fabulous event each year across its several properties in Vegas and will take place this September during the Vegas pride season.

While you can stay in the resort area of Cartagena, a stay in the walled Old City can be amazing experience for its old world charm and friendly people. The boutique hotel from designer Silvia Tcherassi can be a fun couples or girls getaway, and you can even take over the hotel since there are seven rooms—each with its own design. The destination has been attracting LGBT travelers for years.

Another top LGBT-friendly destination in Florida, Miami offers several LGBT events year to plan one's visit around. There's pride in April, the gay and lesbian film festival in May and many gay cruises stop and leave from Miami—including the upcoming Drag Stars at Sea Cruise with recent Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio. For a charming stay in a colorful, contemporary hotel with witty, but chic details that is on the popular Ocean Drive in South Beach, the Lord Balfour is a great pick. It's a few blocks away from the beach, and since it is also south of Fifth Street (SoFi), the area is less commercial—which can make for a more pleasant trip. North Ocean Drive on 12th Street you'll find the fabulous Palace South Beach.

The Vitrum is a modern and chic hotel in the heart of the Palermo district of Buenos Aires, a-if-not-the LGBT capital of Latin America. A modern hotel with chic, artful decor (many rooms with soft tones), there's an open terrace with a pool and a spa and fitness center. Located in-between the subdistircts of Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood, the hotel offers easy access to fashionable shops, restaurants, bars and clubs.

Located in the center of West Hollywood, the prominent LGBT friendly city in Los Angeles County, The Standard offers a retro-cool ambience and has been noted as a hotel for those that are fashion-forward but don't want to over spend. It's located close to Santa Monica Boulevard (which in WeHo is filled with many queer nightlife spots), Hollywood Boulevard (which leads to the Hollywood Walk of Fame), and the Hollywood Hills and Runyon Canyon Park if you feel like taking the landmark hiking trails known for their sweeping city views.

Home to the largest Pride events take place in the world, Sao Paulo Pride draws up to three million people and has an amazing queer nightlife scene that's often overlooked by Rio. The modern Pergamon Hotel is located in the center of the city, and in the LGBT neighborhood of Frei Caneca Street, which offers a shopping center and many bars along the street.

New York is of course a top destination for LGBT travelers for its history in the rights movement and countless nightlife, dining and shopping options. The OUT NYC is a "straight-friendly" resort that is very trendy and in a prime location—just outside of Times Square for first timers to the city and near the growing gayborhood of Hell's Kitchen. Modern, clean black and white themed rooms and suites fill the resort, and also a spa and fitness center.

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Andrew Villagomez is a travel, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment journalist based in the New York metropolitan area. He contributes to Latina, Passport, Out, Details.com, AskMen, Logo's NewNowNext, Thrillist and other publications, and runs his own men's fashion and travel blog, Vee Travels. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @veetravels.

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